San Diego
San Diego Police Department officers aboard a boat searched for more than 30 minutes this week to find an especially deep spot in the ocean to dump 700 firearms, ranging from “Saturday Night Specials” to antique rifles.
The Tuesday dumping was part of the department’s new policy of destroying firearms that previously were auctioned off or kept by police, officials said.
The order came from City Manager Sylvester Murray in September after conversations with Chief William Kolender. Murray said Kolender suggested the policy change to previous city managers, but they refused.
“We didn’t want any more firearms on the streets,” Murray said, noting that the auctioning of firearms to gun retailers presented an opportunity for criminals to reacquire the weapons they once owned.
Last year, police dumped 516 handguns and rifles into the ocean, and they auctioned off 410. Police spokesman Bill Robinson said that about $34,000 was generated by the gun auctions last year.
“We’re not about the business of making money. We just want to get firearms out of circulation,” Murray said.
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